Salt and Pepper Tofu Recipe
Chinese restaurant-style salt and pepper tofu coated an aromatic spice mix is just as good as takeaway. Plus, it's quick, easy, and vegan.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil neutral
- 130 g deep fried tofu puffs*
- ½ medium white onion finely chopped**
- 40 g bell pepper capsicum in the U.S., finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Thai red chilli sliced
For the Salt and Pepper Seasoning Mix
- ¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon white peppercorns
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt ground
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice
Instructions
Make the Salt and Pepper Spice Mix
- Heat a small pan over medium heat. Add ¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns to the pan and dry-toast the spice for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic. Turn off the heat, cool the peppercorns, then add them to a mortar and pestle (or electric spice grinder) along with ½ teaspoon white peppercorns, ¾ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon sugar, and ¼ teaspoon Chinese five spice. Pound into a fine powder.
Stir-Fry the Salt and Pepper Tofu
- Heat a well-seasoned wok over medium-high flame. Add a drizzle of oil and then 130 g deep fried tofu puffs*. Toss until the skins are just crispy, a minute. Set aside.
- In the same well-seasoned wok, add 1 tablespoon oil, and rotate the wok to coat it. Once heated, add ½ medium white onion and 40 g bell pepper. Toss for 30 seconds, then add 3 cloves garlic, toss for another 30 seconds, and add 1 Thai red chilli.
- Add the tofu to the wok along with the salt and pepper seasoning. Toss everything well to coat and cook for a further minute or two.
- Optionally, garnish with spring onions/scallions.
Notes
* Deep-fried tofu puffs are my number one choice for salt and pepper tofu, tofu satay curry, and many other Asian takeaway classics. They have a spongy interior and a light exterior that crisps up when fried, making them ideal for this dish. This is also what all my local Chinese takeaways use, giving the recipe an ultra-authentic fakeaway taste. If you can’t get hold of the ingredient, feel free to swap it out for homemade tofu, which you should coat in cornflour (cornstarch, for my U.S. readers!) and shallow-fry before using.
** While I prefer to finely chop the onions and bell peppers, which makes for faster cooking, some restaurants cut the vegetables in equal sizes to the tofu. Choose whichever you prefer, but add a little extra cooking time for large pieces.
Equipment
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 14gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 17gSodium: 887mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g
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